The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-10
IN THE MISSIONARY FIELD
The Congregationalists Discuss Plans
for Future Work in Indiana.
A Missionary Finds the Clay County Mining
Towns in Great Need of Attention-Rev.
Van Meters Series of Meetings

The morning session OF the Central Congrega-
tional Association. yesterday, called to or
der by Rev. n. A Hyde, and the organization
was made oy electine DR.. Hyde moderator, and
Rev Charles Evans scribe By resolution, Revs.
DR.. Stafford. ]. c. Cromer. c. D. Rogers. G.
Evans and D. N. Hartley were invited to sit
corresponding members. Revs. E. D. Curtis j.
Hayes and Prof L. P. Alden constituted the
committee business.
Rev. D. N. Hartley. of Richmond, read a
paper the use and Abuse of Prophecy"
which drew forth lively discussion. He held
that much of the prophecies was merely Oriental
imagery; that they were not intended guides
to the history of future ages and would not be
fulfilled in the ordinary acceptation of the term;
that the prophets themselves did not realize the
force of their utterances. DR.. Stafford, Rev. j.
G. Cromer, DIR. Day and others took exceptions
to these views.
During the absence of Rev. A. K. Wray, who
was next on the programme, the remainder OF
the morning was consumed in a general discus
sion of the work of the church.
The afternoon session opened with prayer by
Rev. c. j. Cromer Rev. James Hayes then
gave a sketch Of his work in the coal regions of
Clay county, particularly at Carbon, Perth,
Coal Bluff and other mining towns. which were
described as OelDg almost 0eStltute OF rengiouS
advantages of any kind, and only saved from
utter wicksdness by a small element which Is
striving to secure places of worship and to reach
a more civilized condition of existence. There
is good stratum for building on, but the dis
trict needs organization and aid. Rev. Charles
Evans urged that money be raised at once to
build church and residence for Mr..
Hayes. Rev. A. z. Wray suggested
the advisability of soliciting aid from
the mine-owners. and gave instances in which
owners had contributed generously in such
work. Rev F. L. Purdue thought it better to
start in with the work. and look for help from
the outside afterward. Mr.. Bell thought that if
the facts were presented through the churches
there would be no trouble in raising the money.
Rev. E. d. Curtis stated that there was rapid
ly increasing population in the region, largely
o. foreigners, and that there was more need Of
missionary work among foreigners here than
among them in foreign lands. Rev. Perdue said
q saloon keeper in Carbon told him that week
ago Saturday night there were 147 kegs of beer
sold by the eleven saloons in Carbon, within
eight hours. at about So per keg. On motion of
Mr. Bell, Revs. Curtis. Evans and Hayes were
appointed to take charge of the matter and put
it before the churches.
Mrs. George NJ Lane spoke in the interest of
the home missionary work. She portrayed in a
very forcible way the enormous extent of the
United States as missionary field, and the i'm
the country of Outstanding and assimilatipg
the foreign immigration. She said that Chicago
had greater per cent OF German population
than Berlin; New York a greater per cent of
Irish than Dublin, and Minneapolis is the fourth
Swedish city in the world. From Jan. TO Sept
80 100000 immigrants came into this country.
"God is putting these people here" she said,
land making Us responsible for their salvation.
Christianity is the only salvation from the COM
munism and socialism that are fastening them
selves on this country. You can lay your hand on
you would root it out you must plant something
in human hearts that will grow and contend
against the lawless principle. Means are need
ed The chewing gum consumed in this coun-
try costs the people $l2 GOO 600 annually. OF II
cents to every person in the country Let as
chew less and preach more"
Rev. E. D. Curtis spoke of the aggressive
measures called for by the wants of the time.
He thought that organization, increased spiritual
conservation and increased contrI butions of
money were the greatest needs in the church.
Common sense ought to teach that if the work
is to be carried on in the large extents of coun-
try. it can be done only by organization and
discipline. The programme for to-day is as fol-
lows:
Morning-s:30 prayer-meetiug led by VIM
Law, of Solsberry; 8. reports from the churches;
$50. essay, Horace Man." by Prof. W. A. Bell.
editor of Indiana School Journal; 10, THE
Church and Sabbath-school." by L. F. Per
due. of Terre Haute; 1890. 'The Chldrens
Place in the Church." by Rev. James Hayes.
Coal Bluff IL, address, by Rev. W. t. Mcmillan,
State superintendent of Sunday schools, Ober-
lin. O. Afternoon-13o, devotional exercises
led by Rev N. A Hyde, D. D.; 2. 1.-THE Rela-
ton of the Work of the CONGREGATIONAL Union
to Our State W s ', by Rev. C. H Rogers,
Missionary Association upon U.s." Rev. j.
c. Cromer. of Fort Way. :; 8. 'The Holy Spirit
the Element of Power in the Christian Minis
try" by Rev. Charles Evans. of Brazil; 345,
.'Systematic Bsnevolence." by Mrs. Lane. of
Detroit Evening-7:30, communion sermon, by
Rev. A. K. Wray; $50, the Lords supper.